Des Plaines Man Charged In Probation Scheme

Court Officer Accused Of Taking Bribes Is Suspended

A self-described elder in the gypsy community was accused Friday of paying bribes to a Cook County probation officer to obtain lenient supervision for at least a dozen convicts.

Authorities said that after learning of the scheme, they confronted the unidentified probation officer who agreed to cooperate and wore a hidden recorder as he took additional payoffs from the suspect, Frank Miller, 63, of Des Plaines.

Miller was charged in federal court with racketeering and ordered held in custody until at least Tuesday, when a detention hearing resumes, after prosecutors expressed concern he would flee if he is released.

On word of the charges, the Cook County Adult Probation Department suspended the probation officer without pay on Friday and scheduled a hearing that could result in his dismissal. He hasn't been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

The scheme was uncovered after the probation department reported "irregularities" in the officer's supervision of cases to the state's attorney's office, according to Chief Probation Officer Nancy Martin. Federal authorities subsequently became involved.

The probation officer's duties included supervising those convicted of crimes outside Illinois who had been allowed to relocate to the Chicago area to serve out their probation.

Authorities said the officers illicit relationship with Miller began about six years ago, when Miller slipped $50 in his desk drawer after he permitted a probationer to travel.

Later, the officer helped an additional 11 acquaintances of Miller's in return for $50 to $100 at a time, the charges alleged.

In some instances, the officer transferred their probation to Cook County, when in reality they lived elsewhere, unsupervised, according to authorities. Others were allowed liberal travel privileges or didn't have to report to the probation department.

In December, after he had agreed to cooperate, authorities said the officer and suspect met in Miller's home, where the officer wore a hidden recorder as he accepted a $1,100 payoff.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Dean Polales said in court that during questioning by the FBI, Miller described himself as an elder in the gypsy community.